USCG Exam PracticeLeeway allowance in plotting
A navigational error is introduced because the navigator assumed the vessel held the planned course throughout a DR run, but wind caused the vessel to set off track. According to Bowditch, this type of error is best controlled by:
- ✓ Checking cumulative errors against fixes whenever possibleCorrect
- B. Reducing vessel speed to minimize leeway
- C. Increasing the frequency of compass checks
- D. Using a running fix rather than a simultaneous fix
Why A is correct
Bowditch Ch. 23 §2301 identifies the basic assumption that the vessel has held the planned course as a source of navigational error and states that cumulative errors must be checked against fixes whenever possible. A running fix per Bowditch Ch. 7 §702 is less accurate than a simultaneous fix and does not itself control cumulative error.
Cited:Bowditch Ch. 23 §2301